Relaxing on inflatable rafts and floats is a popular activity. This is particularly true in swimming pools where users are accustomed to lazily floating about. But inflatable rafts and floats, due to natural drift caused by waves and currents, can prove dangerous when used on natural bodies of water such as ponds, lakes and oceans. In such locales, a user must constantly remain vigilant about his or her location and drift, yet current methods of restricting drift on flotation devices force the user to actively and physically work to ensure drift and spin does not occur. As a result, the use of such floats is not as relaxing.
In addition, statistics show that drowning is one of the most common deadly dangers for people at the beach. In fact, a major cause of drowning is when a person is caught in the rip current. While one may assume this only applies to swimmers, the fact remains that someone on a raft may ultimately catch a rip current and the raft will drift off into a dangerous location on the water. From there, the user may have to struggle to return to shore. In the end, the relaxing purpose of using an inflatable raft or float is diminished due to drift. As such, there is a need for a system that inhibits the natural drift of a float so that the float and user will remain relatively stationary. The present invention solves this need by employing a durable anchor made of a heavy-duty outer bag, an attached inner bag, and a retractable line.
Another issue relevant to inflatable rafts and floats is direction. The drift of natural bodies of water not only causes typical flotation devices to move through the water, but also to spin or otherwise point in various directions. Implications for a user relate to such common activities as sunbathing, avoiding direct sun, vertigo and sun glare. As such, there is a need for a system that not only maintains stationary positioning, but also provides the user with directional and spin control. The present invention solves this need by attaching an anchor to one end of the float via a first line, while also attaching in certain embodiments a second anchor to another end of the float via a second line.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,913,672 issued to Martin on Apr. 3, 1990 is an anchor for beach air mattresses or rafts. Martin relates to a unitary vinyl storage pouch that is filled with sand before being closed via a drawstring that attaches to the raft. In contrast, the present invention's anchor is an inner bag filled with sand and fitted into a heavy-duty outer bag, with the inner bag closed independently of the outer bag and the outer bag attached to the float via a retractable line. This design of anchor in the present invention differs from existing items, such as Martin, that undergo a loss of sand and consequently slowly lose the weight of the anchor through the drawstring. The result is that existing items such as Martin ultimately go back to unwanted drifting because, by losing sand, those items lose anchoring capability. The present invention solves the problem of sand loss through the anchor's configuration with the outer bag and inner bag.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,410,981 issued to Gutstein et al. on May 2, 1995 is an anchoring kit for use with a flotation device. Gutstein et al. employs an anchor with an outer casing filled with a dense glandular filling that is hooked to a limb of a person on a flotation device. The present invention differs greatly from Gutstein et al. in that the present invention ties the anchor weight to the float, not to the body of the user of the float. In addition, the outer casing of Gutstein et al.'s anchor is a unitary storage case that contains filling. In contrast, the present invention utilizes an inner bag that is filled with sand (or other weighted material) and fitted inside a heavy-duty outer bag that further covers the sand so there is no inadvertent loss of weight. The outer bag is connected to the float via a retractable line while the inner bag is closed independently of the outer bag.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,775,346 issued to Gunter et al. on Oct. 4, 1988 is an apparatus for anchoring a flotation device. Gunter employs adjustable straps that must be attached to corresponding straps secured to a vertical wall, such as that of a swimming pool, in order to achieve directional control. In contrast, the present invention holds the float in place by means of at least one anchor that can be moved into optimal position by means of the anchor base apparatus on the float.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,666,161 issued to Cannon et al. on Dec. 23, 2003 is a raft with an anchoring system for use in swimming pools. Cannon employs a unitary weighted member to be dropped to the bottom of the swimming pool, with the weighted member being linked via a strap to a second weighted member attached to the float, thus requiring two unitary weights for the singular anchor to work. In contrast, the present invention can function with one weighted anchor, and provides the user the ability to move the anchor into an optimal position.
While the idea of anchoring a flotation device is known, there remains a need for a system that provides the user with optimal directional control and the ability to extend and retract the line between the float and the anchor. In addition, the need continues for the best way of protecting and maintaining the recyclable weight of the anchor. The present invention solves these needs by employing a retractable line that enables the user to place the weight at its required depth, while also making it easier for the user to easily retrieve the anchor via two hooks on the outer bag that also aid in removing sand from the anchor's inner bag.